Feeling Defeated - Not interested in salad

SenditJase

Member
Original Poster
Hi,

I've posted about this a couple of times, but am looking for more advice.

I have a hatchling that's now 6 weeks old - and it still refuses to eat salad - I've tried everything;

- Putting small feeder insects in to entice feeding response from salad moving - just picked the insects out.
- Moving and prompting in front of face
- Withholding insects until about midday-early afternoon
- Leaving in during the day and night - changed every morning - nothing
- Different greens - spinach, kale, rocket as well as carrot.

I know that hatchlings need more protein than salad - especially this young - but at what point does getting no salad become nutritionally dangerous?

I have only had him a week and per the advice received on this forum have completely reduced if not stopped handling and baths - so is it still an acclimation issue?

I have been offering crickets and woodies (wood roaches) and he'll readily eat both - is it true that woodies nutritionally wise should assist in hydration? I know that they're cleaner and more nutritious overall than crickets - but if I can't get him to drink from his bath, eat greens or drink water dripped on nose - are the insects enough?

I know that with dragons you have to start salad young as adults can be a pain to switch over to it - but I feel defeated.

If I offer salad when I wake up - late morning / midday (till I start training at my new job) doing everything above - I'll normally just leave the dragon alone and leave the bowl in and wait for an hour or two and then offer insects (so it eats something) and it'll eat them no problem.
 

hdochow

Sub-Adult Member
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Beardie name(s)
Sir Henry of Scales
i've never tried to actively breed the roaches. we don't have the need, although if he was still eating in quantities for a baby or juvenile, that might be different, or if we had more than one dragon. when we are down to around 40 or so (about a month feeding wise), we'll buy another 200-300 small ones and let them grow up while we feed off the last of the big ones. so far it's worked out pretty good. we haven't ever got to the point they have been too big to feed him.
 

SenditJase

Member
Original Poster
i've never tried to actively breed the roaches. we don't have the need, although if he was still eating in quantities for a baby or juvenile, that might be different, or if we had more than one dragon. when we are down to around 40 or so (about a month feeding wise), we'll buy another 200-300 small ones and let them grow up while we feed off the last of the big ones. so far it's worked out pretty good. we haven't ever got to the point they have been too big to feed him.
Yeah, I’m moreso doing it to try to save on feeding costs. If I can do it for free and have an unlimited supply I might as well.

It's time for Baby Arugula and collared greens, mustard greens, turnip greens. Start with baby arugula.

I’ve tried all sorts of greens even those not listed. He’s just not interested. Think he’s just a stubborn baby.
 

hdochow

Sub-Adult Member
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Beardie name(s)
Sir Henry of Scales
I’ve tried all sorts of greens even those not listed. He’s just not interested. Think he’s just a stubborn baby.
that's probably 100% what is going on. they love to make us absolutely crazy thinking about all this stuff. i've had to use almost as much patience raising this dragon as i did raising my kid! they're both still alive so i must be doing something right!!! :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
 

Hailey1110

Hatchling Member
Beardie name(s)
Toothless
I’m not sure if this was said yet, but try putting bee pollen on their salad, that’s what I had to do for my little guy, and he would devour it, and try different greens there a lot I didn’t know they could eat, but be careful, my little guy doesn’t eat salad as much as he used to because he LOVED kale so that’s all I gave him and I found out kale isn’t good to have all the time so he’s throwing a little tantrum at the moment,
 

hdochow

Sub-Adult Member
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Beardie name(s)
Sir Henry of Scales
I’m not sure if this was said yet, but try putting bee pollen on their salad, that’s what I had to do for my little guy, and he would devour it, and try different greens there a lot I didn’t know they could eat, but be careful, my little guy doesn’t eat salad as much as he used to because he LOVED kale so that’s all I gave him and I found out kale isn’t good to have all the time so he’s throwing a little tantrum at the moment,
actually, kale has been studied further and it has been found to be a great staple green. so if you little guy loves it, go ahead and give it to him.
 

Hailey1110

Hatchling Member
Beardie name(s)
Toothless
actually, kale has been studied further and it has been found to be a great staple green. so if you little guy loves it, go ahead and give it to him.
This is the best news I have ever received!!!! My baby LOVES IT so so much and I’ve felt so bad not giving it to him it was breaking my heart, he’s picky the only other thing I’ve found he likes is endive and I can’t find that anywhere, he doesn’t even like dandelion or mustard greens, I’m definitely running out and buying him kale tomorrow!!!
 

hdochow

Sub-Adult Member
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Beardie name(s)
Sir Henry of Scales
no dandelions??? sir henry cannot conceive of such a thing!!!

do you have the website we suggest for veggies? if not, scroll up through this thread. i posted for the OP earlier.
 

Hailey1110

Hatchling Member
Beardie name(s)
Toothless
no dandelions??? sir henry cannot conceive of such a thing!!!

do you have the website we suggest for veggies? if not, scroll up through this thread. i posted for the OP earlier.
I know right I have a weird little guy, he wouldn’t even touch dandelions, I might have to try again this it’s been a good bit since I tried, but I did find that website thank you!
 

SenditJase

Member
Original Poster
i got it for ya karrieree.

here's the link. ignore what it says about kale, more studies have been done, and it is actually a great staple green. the website just has not been updated. Nutrition Content

What multi-vitamin is recommended? I live in Australia - the only one I was able to find so far at a pet shop is a reptile multi-vitamin, but it has the consistency or texture of a spice you'll find in your kitchen - doesn't stick to anything.

Is there a calcium powder type multi-vitamin I can use? At the moment he's not getting supplemented multi-vitamins.

Will the insects eat it if I put a little bit in each night? But how would I differentiate those gutloaded from those not?

What's the best way to go?
 

hdochow

Sub-Adult Member
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Beardie name(s)
Sir Henry of Scales
i'm not sure on those. sir henry refuses anything powdered, so we order liquid for both the calcium and vitamins from tracie, our mod on here that is a vet tech and has a website i use. i'm not sure what her shipping range is, but i'll post her website for you just in case, or to help others that may read this later. Reptile Supplies by Bug-De-Lite

as for the bugs eating, i would assume so. there are some mornings the salad they were given is gone! just depends on how much we wound up putting in. because we give them the salad every night, we just assume they are all gut loaded and don't stress on it too much.
 

SenditJase

Member
Original Poster
i'm not sure on those. sir henry refuses anything powdered, so we order liquid for both the calcium and vitamins from tracie, our mod on here that is a vet tech and has a website i use. i'm not sure what her shipping range is, but i'll post her website for you just in case, or to help others that may read this later. Reptile Supplies by Bug-De-Lite

as for the bugs eating, i would assume so. there are some mornings the salad they were given is gone! just depends on how much we wound up putting in. because we give them the salad every night, we just assume they are all gut loaded and don't stress on it too much.
That's a good idea - thanks!
I'll just keep putting the scraps in each night then. :)
 

hdochow

Sub-Adult Member
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Beardie name(s)
Sir Henry of Scales
That's a good idea - thanks!
I'll just keep putting the scraps in each night then. :)
and if ya think about it, no matter how much the bugs eat, they're still putting the left over veggies to more use overnight than the garbage can will, so why not!
 

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Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

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